If you could pay for GCSE or A level but not both what would you do

[struckwithindecision]

We have recently failed to get our son into the state secondary we wanted.

We are left with a choice of the local failing primary or private school. Private is never a route I wanted to go for a variety of reasons. One of which is cost of course as he has younger siblings.

I'm now wondering whether to think we will pay up to GCSE then move to a local college. Or move to private at A level. I can see arguments to fit with any of these options so I wondered what your opinions are. I have no experience of private schools.

Alternatively go state and move if its not going well but hard to assess this. Dis very bright but also quiet and does not make friends easily.

Thing it it really doesn't matter how many kids get 5 A* -Cs - what matters is how many YOUR kid gets.

The March inspection sounds very positive - send him there and review after a year.

and all singing all dancing facilities does not in itself make anywhere a better school. otherwise my dc's school would be amazing

It looks like Bramhall High school does very poorly with low attainers (0% got 5 GCSEa A-C) and better with high attainers 90% got 5 GCSEs (A-C), with an average grade per exam for them of B.

Cheadle Hulme did better for low attainers (13% 5 GCSEs) & High attainers 98%, average B+

Not a lot in it if your child is in the high attainer group. Even less if you think the school will improve from where it is.

Thanks need to come to some decisions this weekend.

Did you hear today's news that Ofsted are sacking 1200 staff (40%) because they are not good enough.
I think that Bramhall is probably the victim of a 'political' judgement. They seem to be a case of the DfE's current bête noire - the coasting leafy comp.

Don't go private, I can't see that the marginal benefit will be worth the fees. You said that you went to a 'normal comp' yourself and it has seen you right.

Apart from the fees I'm struggling with the notion of private. Bhs is in nice area but itself is run down and in need of an upgrade.
I'm feeling awful for showing him all options as its like showing him the ritz then asking him to choose the premier inn. That was a mistake.

I'm feeling awful for showing him all options as its like showing him the Ritz then asking him to choose the Premier Inn. That was a mistake.

Maybe. Maybe not. It's up to him and his temperament.
He has now seen how the lucky ones live. He will be going to a 'normal comp' - just like 93% of the population - but if he fancies the Ritz life then it is up to him to make it happen. He is lucky in that he was born with braincells so he can get to the good sixthform, the good University, etc.

Life's what you make it.

'Requires improvement' is just that - the school could do better and Ofsted have noticed. Looking at the stats though Bramhall isn't a disaster; 46% are high attainers on entry, only 9% low attainers and 7.6% fsm - improvement should be within easy grasp.

Rather than concentrate on A-C grades I would be more interested in A-A grades; I can't link to the page but Bramhall's website have a 'Congratulations to the Class of 2014' - 20% of the cohort achieved A/A in at least 5 subjects and 10 named students achieved at least 6As and 2As.

The Gov stats also indicate that 68% of high attainers achieved the EBacc, which is pretty good - we have chosen to go the Independent route but to avoid a school much worse than this one.

It's a pity dc2 is so close in age - you obviously have to choose dc2's state preferences in Oct shortly after dc1 has started senior school and before you can really make any judgment about it. If you send dc1 to Bramhall but list Cheadle Hulme first for dc2 then you are telling dc1 that Bramhall isn't good enough. Where are dc2's friends likely to go? I think it would be ok to send dc1 to the independent school if dc2 was allocated an outstanding state school with a big group of friends.

Interesting I hadn't seen that page before. I had to search it. Certainly reassuring. I suppose it's unfair in a way to compare results as the private schools have a selected population. It seems as though they are a guaranteed way to achieve a full set of top gcse results wheras state more hit and miss and perhaps more motivation is needed on behalf of the child to do well.

The obvious way to achieve good GCSEs from a school's point of view is to select able pupils and charge for it. The school can then largely rely on the first rate pupils rather than first rate teaching.

I really don't know... i went to a private primary, did the equivalent of GSCE/A levels at state schools and went to a goid university.

DS wrnt to private school until the rnd of KS1, has attended state schools since, and I am not quite sure he will manage to go to a top university.

I think, to be honest, that it us matter of luck in terms of finding the school (private or state) that fits better the needs and learning style if your child.

It will also depend on the educational support or exposure to academic stuff at home, and your own child personality.

If I had to ask myself the question, with the very particular needs if my son in mind, i would pobably choose to send DS to state school for primary. and pay for extra tutorials and move him to private from Y7 onwards.

Having said that... The higher the level, the more expensive that tuition fees get. So from a financial point of view, that may not be the best option.

BTW, it is true that many outstanding quality schools (private and state) have good results because they have a better selection of students, BUT to put it in very basic terms... When I was in private school, my friends and I used to have strong views about politics, wrote stories and plays and were happy to blow my mother's kitchen up trying to replicate chemical experiments we had heard of.

I was able to do similar things in state school, But very very seldomly. I often felt that I needed to hide how academic I was, in order to fit in or to avoid being perceived as "weird". I can see the same happening with my son, but again, this may be due to the schools that we attended rather than whether they were state or private schools.

My husband got badly bullied at school for being clever. Ironically at the outstanding state school we wanted ds in. Mind you it wasn't as good then.
I would hate ds to feel that he couldn't do well for fear of being picked on. I'd hate him to get in with the wrong group of friends. He's clever but easily influenced. Ds2 would be less of a concern in that respect.